Regional
Ayatollah’s wife dies from injuries sustained in airstrike on Tehran residence
Bagherzadeh, believed to have been in her late seventies, largely remained out of public view throughout her husband’s decades in power.
Mansoureh Khojasteh Bagherzadeh, the wife of Iran’s late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, has died after succumbing to injuries sustained in a recent airstrike on their residence in central Tehran, Iranian state media reported on Monday.
According to Iranian news outlets, including the semi-official Tasnim News Agency, Bagherzadeh had been in a coma since the strike, which took place two days ago. The attack, described by US officials as part of “Operation Epic Fury,” was reportedly carried out by the United States and Israel amid escalating hostilities with Iran.
Iranian authorities confirmed over the weekend that Khamenei was killed in the same strike, along with several members of his family and senior leaders who were present at the compound. State media characterized the attack as a major escalation and a severe blow to the country’s leadership structure.
Khamenei, 86, had served as Iran’s Supreme Leader since 1989, holding ultimate authority over the state, armed forces, and key institutions including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
His death marks one of the most consequential developments in the ongoing conflict and raises significant questions about Iran’s political succession and regional posture.
Bagherzadeh, believed to have been in her late seventies, largely remained out of public view throughout her husband’s decades in power. Married in the mid-1960s, the couple had six children. Despite her proximity to one of the region’s most powerful figures, she maintained a private life and held no official political role.
In a rare interview with Iranian state media in 2011, she described her role as creating a calm home environment to support her husband’s political responsibilities. She also recounted visiting him during his imprisonment under the Shah’s rule and assisting with revolutionary activities prior to 1979.
The killing of Khamenei and members of his family represents a dramatic turning point in the crisis, with regional and international observers warning of heightened instability in an already volatile security landscape.
Iran has sent the United States a nuclear proposal via Qatar, to be discussed only after Washington meets Tehran’s seven demands, a senior Iranian official told Reuters on Thursday.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the US was reviewing the proposal but declined to provide further details.
Mediators have intensified efforts to end the war between Iran and the United States amid fears it could reignite after the US midterm elections, with Trump on Tuesday declining to rule out a resumption of combat operations after the vote and Iran planning wider retaliation if war resumes.
Iran’s top security official Mohsen Rezaei had said earlier on Thursday, during a visit to Russia: “On the issue of diplomacy, we have announced seven conditions to the Americans. As long as they do not execute our seven conditions, we will neither open the Strait of Hormuz nor have negotiations”.
Iran has demanded the lifting of US sanctions, the release of frozen Iranian assets and war reparations, among other conditions, while Washington has said nuclear issues must be part of any initial negotiations.
The US and Israel attacked Iran on February 28, and Iran responded with strikes on Israel and Gulf states that host US bases. Conflict also erupted in Lebanon between Iran-backed Hezbollah and Israel, and more recently spread to Yemen, from where the Iran-aligned Houthis have struck energy facilities, airports and other targets in Saudi Arabia.
Regional
Iran says US voted ‘No to War’ after Republican midterm losses
The comments came after US President Donald Trump acknowledged that the war with Iran and rising petrol prices had contributed to the Republicans’ poor election performance.
Saudi Arabia and Syria signed a cooperation agreement between the two countries’ defense ministries on Wednesday, Saudi state news agency SPA reported, as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi group continues its missile and drone attacks on the kingdom.
The agreement was signed during a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Riyadh, where he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. It was their second meeting in Saudi Arabia in less than a month, according to Reuters.
No details were provided on what the agreement entails. Reuters reported last month that Syria was carefully weighing providing military assistance to Saudi Arabia amid the kingdom’s escalating war against the Houthis in Yemen.
A Syrian diplomat said at the time that any request for military cooperation or exchange of expertise “would take place exclusively through official channels and within the framework of the bilateral agreements governing relations between our two brotherly countries.”
Saudi Arabia has been requesting assistance far and wide, from the US to Europe and the Middle East, for both defensive and offensive support in a renewed war against the Houthis.
The two countries also signed several other agreements during Sharaa’s visit to Saudi Arabia. The kingdom has been providing financial assistance to Syria and played a key role in re-establishing Damascus’ ties with world powers after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad.
The Saudi Fund for Development signed six agreements with Syria’s Finance Ministry on Wednesday for the provision of concessional development loans worth over $403 million to support development and service sectors in Syria, the Syrian ministry said.
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